The Azimio la Umoja -one Kenya coalition has maintained its sustained criticism towards the government over its taxation policies.

Addressing the press after the coalition's summit meeting held at the SKM Center on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the coalition alleged that taxation under President William Ruto's governance is a punishment to Kenyans.

The coalition also stated that the tax burden experienced by Kenyans was unreasonable and unsustainable and that the current regime had failed the test of being caring and compassionate.

"We are deeply opposed to high PAYE rates that Kenyan workers are being forced to endure. We remain opposed to the subjection of retiree pensions to taxation,

"We also remain opposed, deeply, to the idea of subjecting farm produce to taxation. It is our position that forcing farmers to part with Ksh5 for every Ksh100 they make from their farm produce is unreasonable and cruel. We encourage our farmers to resist this tax," the coalition said.

The Raila Odinga-led coalition additionally underscored that it was firmly opposing the housing tax and the 16 per cent tax on petroleum products.

Azimio also discussed other issues including the adoption of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report by the parliament.

On the matter, the coalition expresssed gratitude to parliament for adopting the report.

"We retain the view that the report must be implemented as is. It is also our position that the processing of the NADCO report and the bills should be fast tracked," Azimio added.

Addressing rumours on plans to undermine the report, the coalition warned the government that any efforts to undermine or tamper with the report will attract serious consequences.

"We notify those forces that should any efforts to undermine or tamper with the report succeed, there will be a very heavy price to pay. In this regard, we call on Hon. William Ruto to rein in the Speakers of the two houses of Parliament and a number of members of the National Executive who are hell-bent to derail NADCO.

"Those leaders have clearly demonstrated a determination to delay, derail or even kill the NADCO report, which is a negotiated document that pulled the country out of hostilities to the peace that obtains today. Nobody should take the present situation as a given or for granted," Azimio said.

The coalition also discussed other issues including Raila's AUC chairmanship bid and the inclusion of the two-third gender rule.